Ice tray grid



Sept. 1950 c. R. CARNEY 2,521,964

ICE TRAY GRID Filed Oct. 10, 1946 CLIFFORD R. CARNEY BY di l/fi A T TORN'Y Patented Sept. 12, 1950 Clifford R. Carney, Miami, Fla., assignor to Cellon Corporation, Miami, 1 Fla, a corporation of Florida Application October 10, 1946, Serial No. 702,497

The present invention relates to ice tray grids and more particularly to ice tray grids which are removable from an ice tray, and which may be readily operated to secure the release of the ice cubes therefrom.

The problem of freeing ice cubes from a tray in which they are frozen in a conventional type of mechanical refrigerator is one which has been long present in this art. The attempts to solve the problem have generally taken one of two directions. First, the provision of a grid formed of a resilient material, such for example as rubber or the like, which may be distorted to break the bond between the grid and the cubes, and thus to free the cubes from the grid. Second, the provision of a grid having rigid partitioning members, certain of which are movable relative to the others for the purpose of breaking the adhesion between the ice cubes and the rigid elements of the grid construction.

In both general forms of the prior grids the grid mechanism and the ice when frozen presents a rigid mass in which the grid, whether resilient? 1y flexible or whether mechanically united for movement of. one rigid section relative to the other is held immobile in the ice block.

As distinguished from previously known types of grids, the grid of the present invention is composed of a plurality of separate elements loosely joined together. in such a manner that a force imparted to the pan by twisting or distorting the pan or by a sharp blow thereon is transmitted through the ice to the transverse members of the grid frozen in the ice in the pan and effects movement of said transverse members independently of any movement of the longitudinal member of the grid. This movement of the transverse membersof the grid provides for the release of the ice cubes from the gridimmediately after the frozen grid and ice block has been released from the pan. 1

It is an object of the present invention to provide an ice tray grid having a plurality of transversegrid members loosely connected with arcuate slots in a longitudinal member which permits sliding movement of the transverse rid members relative to-the longitudinal member to effect a shearing and ice breaking movement of the grid members to free the grid from the frozen ice block. I

Afurther object of the present invention is to provide an ice tray grid formed of a plurality of separate rigid elements so united in the assembled structure that-each element is relatively 1 Claim. (01. 62-1085) movable with respect to the other elements of the grid and in which relative movement of the parts may be initiated by a force applied directly to the'pan in which the grid and ice block is frozen, the resultant separate movement of the transverse members relative to the longitudinal member effecting separation of ice cubes from the grid.

A further object of the present invention is to provide an ice tray grid formed of a plurality of relatively movable rigid members which may be readily assembled from its separate component parts, thus achieving substantial economies in the mass production manufacture thereof.

It is a further object of thepresent invention to provide an ice tray grid formed of a plurality of movable rigid elements so constructed and assembled that when placed in an ice tray, each element of the grid structure will occupy its predetermined position for an efficient mechanical movement of the parts for breakin the grid from the ice block frozen therein.

Other objects of this invention will appear in the following description and appended claim,

- reference being had to the accompanying drawings forming a part of this specification wherein like reference characters designate corresponding parts in the several views.

In the drawings:

Fig. l is a top plan view showing an ice tray in which is placed a grid embodying the present invention.

Fig. 2 is a longitudinal section takensubstantially on the line 2-2 in the direction of the arrows Fig. l. I

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. 2 but showing the pan in an inverted position and parts of the grid moved to their positions for freein and removing ice cubes therefrom.

Fig. dis a fragmentary section taken substantially on the line 4-4 in the direction of the arrows, Fig. 2.

Before explaining in detail the present invention it is to be understood that the invention is not limited in the application to the details of construction and arrangement of parts illustrated in the accompanying drawings, since the invention is capable of other embodiments and of being practiced or carried out in various ways. Also it isto be understood that the phraseology or terminology employed herein is for the purpose of description and not of limitation.

The'grid construction here shown comprises a plurality of separate transverse members. l0, an

the members II and 12. The arcuate slots l5 are designed as cam members to guide the transverse members ID to effect a vertical and pivotal movement thereof relative to the otherparts of the grid. The transversemembers. llhareeeachi provided with a cam follower portion I6 which extends into the arcuate slotlfi and acts to posi-v tion the transverse member ID" in the slot I5;

The dimensions of each of the transverseizmemzbers H! is such as to fit within one of the slots l5 and to be movable relative thereto. The. slots and thecam followers Id thus arranged, provide guidesrwhich hold the members H11 in the desired angular positions relative. to the. longitudinal member. The slots l5. are of suclilengths as to accommodate the assembly of thememhers ill with sufiicient play to, permit free sliding movement of the members I0 relative to each other and. relative to the longitudinal partition. Any substantial movementof the members I!) relative to each other or relative to the 'longitudinalmemher in either a horizontal or a, longitudinalplane is prevented by this construction.

Each of the transverse members I0 is provided with cut-away slot portions I.9'and:20-. which extend over the'upper memberI-l' and-the lower member 12 and permit relative" movement betweerr said transverse members: Y I 0* and-the longi tudinal partition member;

When thetransverse grid members 10" are-in the position shownin' Fig: 2; it-will be seen-that the angular arrangement-oi the members'provides a plurality of-spaces indicatedgenerally'by thearrows and'numerals 2'1 22 and 23: In each ofthese'spacesthe side Walls extend angularly toward: eachotherinthe general shape of a truncated wedge-whose base lies adj acent the top portion of the grid' and- Whose truncated 1 apex is directed toward the-pan fli' This arrangement also provides similarly shapedspaces indicated by the arrows and: numerals. 25 and- 26 whose basesare adjacent-the pan 24 andlwhose;truncated apices are directed toward the top-0f the grid. By thisconstruction, a wedging action is exerted by the: ice-cubes frozen inltheegrid when a force causing distortion of the paniiszapplied thereto.

As shown in Fig. 3, a .sharp;blo.w;.indicatedi by the directional arrow:3l; causessa: distortion .of1a portion of the bottom lot; the panz. Thedistortion of the. pan is transferred to thearigidiicezmass and:;this. ice mass is; freedfromzthee pam. In place of a sharp blow, a similar Gfi BCtFiS produced by twisting the; frozen: pan. The; force. causing distortion of the pan isttransferredrtocthe wedge shaped; ice cubes; occupying the spaceslfii and causes the cubesto: exert azwedging effectzonithe adj acent transverseimembers. ll Theeforces also istransferred throughthe bottomportionsotthe pan. 24- and to: the bottom portionseofzthedce blocks; occupying thespaces25. and 2B. These blockszqexert an upwardlydirectedc force-.orrthe adjacent transversezmembers: l0.=which;.are:sthen freer-to.movevimtheaarcuateecamislotszlixrelative to; 131192 pan;and;.to. exert .aneiceefreeing 'forceion the blocks occupying the space between the blocks in the space 22 and the blocks occupying the spaces 25 and 26. It will be seen that the Wedgeshaped spaces 25 and 26 forming wedge-shaped blocks therein act in eifect to multiply the forces causing the freeing of the grid and blocks. This movement is permitted since the first force as hereshown, has caused. the .central block to be freed from. the-1 space- 22.1 This; block is essentially a key which when freed from the grid provides adequate space for the required sliding movement of all of the transverse members l0 so as-to assure the freeing of all of the blocks held in: the-grid between'the transverse members H].

The exerting otthe force by the wedge-shaped blocks in the; spaces 25 and 25 also acts to separate the grid from the pan.

While Fig.8- shows the pan in an inverted position in order to clarify the present disclosure, it is to be understood that it is not necessary to invert the pan for. the. purposeof freeing the ice blocks: since. the abovedescribed movements .wm be riotedin response. todistorting. forces applied to the. pan even though. the. panis in its normal upright position.

The assembly of the separate elements to form the grid'structure herein shown is economically achieved on a mass production basis by first stamping each oithe parts separately and," if'de1 sired, treating the parts to provide the surface protection thereof. The members III; II and i2 may be stamped separately fromaluminum sheet stock and thereafteranodized andsealed" to render the'surfaces impervious'to'moisture. The assembly'may thenbe completedof the parts thus treated. Usually, however; it is more'economical to anodize and seal'the-parts aftertheyareassembled. The present-grid construction is-ideal for such treatment as the-loose assembly of the partshere provided will permit the complete anodizin and sealing of theassembled grid;

In assembling thegrid; the lower longitudinal member l2 is'placed' in a suitable holding fix ture-and the transverse-members-= l0 are placed in theslotsin the member I25 When this has been" done, the top longitudinah member l lis dropped into placeand the endsof the members II. and I2 are secured togetherin' any desired manner; such as by therivets l3-and I4. It-Will be seenthat this method of assembly lendsitself to economical large" scale mass production of the gridi. element; and J-will effect substantial-sconc mics in the manufacture and assembly thereof.

Since: all .movementfofi the movable; transverse members is controlledby. the cami slots I5 and the; followers IS; the firstmovementeisi im an angularly inclined I movement: 11113.11 upwardzdie rection. Thisz' is followed-by alswingingr move, ment': of the.- transversez'membersz Illa. Thuseit will be readily apparentthatitheiforce: required togefiect movementzof the: grid; when frozenzin an ice block is much less than would be1 neces= sary if it werenecessary to; first. move. themtire transverse grid member: bodily: against the ice=cubes in a; direction: either longitudinally or horizontally, of the pan. to efifect. the. initial movement and breaking of the ice cubesfrom the-pan. Thegrid. of. the present .inventionprovides-for a. directrapplication of :aforce :to therpan whichinitiates the ice freeing movement-rot: the transverse members to separate the gridirom the; frozen; ice block.and :to. freethe ice-:block from? the pan by the application: of -.force-. to; the pan- Theaforce-is: transferredto the transverse grid: members by direct. mechanical: transfer from the pan as well as from the ice mass. If

- desired, mechanical forces may be applied directly to the top edges of the transverse members H] as disclosed in my co-pending application 469--1.

In constructing a grid of the present invention, I prefer to use a heat conducting material, such for example as sheet aluminum alloys, magnesium alloys, or the like, the surfaces of which have been treated to render them water repellent. One satisfactory method of accomplishing this when aluminum or the like is used,

is to subject the parts to treatment in an anodizing bath and thereafter to seal the anodized surfaces. Another satisfactory method is to polish the surfaces and thereafter to treat the polished surfaces with a water-proofing material such, for example, as a finish containing a water impermeable plastic substance in which silicon has been substituted for carbon in the molecule and which are commercially known as silicone resins, which are now available commercially.

From the foregoing it will be understood that a grid construction embodying the present invention may be readily assembled from a plurality of parts, each of which may be separately fabricated. The parts are loosely held in their assembled relation so as to drop into position and occupy a predetermined position in the ice pan.

5 Number I claim:

An ice tray grid comprising a longitudinal partition, a plurality of transverse members slidably mounted in said longitudinal partition and angularly disposed therein relative to each other to provide spaced ice blocks in the form of truncated wedges, certain of said blocks having their base portions adjacent the ice pan and other of said blocks having their truncated apices adjacent the ice pan whereby said first named blocks act as force applying members on said grid and said other of said blocks act as unlocking key members, and comprising a plurality of spaced arcuate cam slots in said longitudinal partition member and a rounded cam follower on the transverse partition member disposed in each of said slots.

CLIFFORD R. CARNEY.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Name Date Jacobs June 10, 1941 Cole Dec. 9, 1941 Sampson et al a- Apr. 18, 1942 Carney Feb. 13, 1945 

